Michigan brewery raises a glass for aircraft carrier Ford

Back when Gerald R. Ford was president, he made a brief stop in his hometown of Grand Rapids, Mich., arousing the curiosity of a small boy who lived up the street.

Dave Engbers was only about 5 years old at the time, but he figured that the leader of the free world deserved a neighborhood welcome. So he found his red wagon, walked down the street, knocked on the door and asked if the president was around.

Grand Rapids was that kind of city, and Ford was that kind of president.

This coming Saturday, Engbers is planning a special salute to his former neighbor when the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford is christened at Newport News Shipbuilding. And since he now brews beer for a living, his effort promises to have a special kick.

Engbers helped start Founders Brewing Company, and the brewery is rolling out a limited run of it signature brew, a dry hopped pale ale, with a special label to mark the christening. It will not be sold publicly, but it will be available at a private dinner the night before. Also, several area taverns will have the pale ale on tap, along with commemorative post cards.

"When we got the call from the folks at Newport News Shipbuilding, asking us to make a special label for this event, it was one of those things that gives you goosebumps," he said, calling Ford "a hugely important figure in the Grand Rapids community."

Engbers and partner Mike Stevens began the business in 1994, but it wasn't until four years later that they got up and running. Like other start-ups, they struggled mightily and wondered whether to call it quits.

"We decided, in a Midwestern manner, to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and not feel sorry for ourselves," Engbers said.

They changed their brewing recipes to produce stronger and more complex beer, catering to enthusiasts who wanted something out of the mainstream. Today, Founders is one of the nation's top brewers.

Engbers said he has always admired Ford's quiet persistence and unassuming nature.

"He grew up fairly close to the neighborhood where I grew up," he said.

The story of Engber's "visit" to the Ford family house is a piece of family history. There is some question as to whether Engbers actually asked if the president "could come out and play."

"I remember walking down there, and I remember knocking on the door," he said. "I do specifically remember asking if I could see the president."

He was politely rebuffed, although by today's standards, it is remarkable he even got that far.

Ford, who served in Congress for decades before being thrust into the national spotlight, had the same reputation in Grand Rapids as did around the nation: honest, unassuming and a diligent worker.

Engbers would like to think he could find parallels between Ford and his own business experience.

"As a brewer, as a business owner, some of the things I've always been about are hard work and persistence, and being an honest and genuine person," he asid. "We work hard. We're not very flashy. We kind of do what we do because it's our job."

Contact Lessig at 757-247-7821.

Raise a glass to the Ford

This week, Founder's Pale Ale will be served on draft, along with commemorative postcards, at the following locations: